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Chief supports call for full sentences in gun crimes By Jared Allen, NashvilleCityPaper.com The coalition – a delegation representing the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference, The Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association and the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police – is heading to the State Capitol at 9:30 a.m. to formally announce its three legislative goals for the current session. Not only is Serpas supportive of one of those proposals – a “truth in sentencing” law for gun crimes – the chief has been clamoring for it, saying the prevalence of convicted felons who continue to illegally arm themselves, only to commit more violent crime, is one of Nashville’s biggest problems. Late last year, Serpas made very public his support for the partial repeal of the 20-year-old law that allows those convicted of felonies to only serve 30 percent of their sentences before being eligible for parole. After the arrest of the three individuals believed to be responsible for a robbery-turned- murder of two Madison store clerks in December, Serpas called a press conference, in part, to advocate for tougher sentencing laws, especially for repeat violent offenders and those committing gun crimes. “When are we going to stand up as a community and say that having 70 percent of the dangerous people we’ve arrested this year and who have already been convicted of a crime back out on the street is too much?” Serpas said at the time. “If you commit a robbery with a gun or you carry a gun as a convicted felon, why not give them 100 percent of their time?” Now, Serpas may be one step closer to getting his wish. The Public Safety Coalition is throwing its weight behind a bill sponsored by Senate Republican Caucus Leader Mark Norris of Collierville, which would mandate a 10-year prison sentence – to be served at 100 percent – for any individual found guilty “employing a firearm during the commission of a felony.” Serpas said such a move would go a long way toward reducing a large portion of the city’s criminal recidivism rate, which he last week said was one of the major problems still vexing police. According to Metro Police department data, in 2005 officers arrested 1,324 suspects 1,447 times for felony firearm-related incidents, including making 683 arrests – 47 percent – for violent crimes including murder and aggravated robbery. And of those 1,324 suspects, 477 – 36 percent – had prior felony convictions, a third of which were prior gun convictions. Just last week the department’s 2006 crime statistics showed that 75 percent of the 13,120 individuals arrested for crimes such as homicide, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, drug charges and weapons charges also had prior convictions on their records. A second problem that Metro Police is still getting a handle on is gang crime. But gangs – from the less-organized Bloods and Crips to the highly motivated and dangerous MS-13 – and gang activity could be even further disrupted if the Legislature adopts a second proposal the coalition is advocating. Backed by Sen. Paul Stanley (R-Memphis), the state’s District Attorneys, Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police are supporting a bill to hand out harsher sentences for crimes “committed in concert with two or more other persons.” The bill would mandate that those committing violent acts as part of a group be charged with one classification of crime higher than the actual act. Those committing Class A felonies as part of such a group would have to receive the maximum allowable sentence. The third proposal being backed by the coalition would increase by 64 the number of criminal prosecutors across the state. |
